The Blood Dice
January 22nd, 2:00 PM Wildomar, Leena's House AM Omniance: Leena: After going to school and not seeing either Yuri or Lucas there, She decided to sign herself out early and go home after lunch. Grabbing a few of her notes that she'd taken over the years she set up a small map of the Riverside area and set out to try scrying for the woman she met earlier. She pulls the necklace out of her pocket and looks at Lucifer, who is lazily watching her in the form of a cat from atop a large stump. Don't give me that look. It'll work this time. She holds up the necklace. It's actually hers, I think, so I should be able to find her with it. She narrows her eyes at Lucifer. Yeah well if this doesn't work you're going to spend the next few hours as a corgi trying to track down a woman who can fly... And vanish into thin air. Lucifer lets out a quiet yowl and stands up, now hoping that the scrying works. Corgi's have an extremely good sense of smell, you're not fooling anyone. She straightens out the map slightly and then holds the necklace over it, she starts to swing it in a circle, and concentrates, waiting for it to drop on Hailey's location. AM Arbi: As Leena moves the necklace around the map it starts to swing back and forth harder towards one direction. It looks like it's near Mission Trail road. AM Omniance: Leena: She moves it slightly in that direction. Lucifer watches intently, it's purple cat eyes following the swinging necklace. Leena whispers softly as the necklace continues to swing more forcefully. Come on... Come on... AM | Edited 9:25:42 AM Arbi: The necklace swings more vigorously the closer she moves it to Hailey's location, it slows down when she moves it in the wrong direction. The necklace finally falls down, landing on the map. When she picks the necklace up it she sees it landed on a street named Amberton Drive, near Elsinore High School. AM Omniance: Leena: She narrows her eyes. Amberton... She leans back and sits. I think that's it. Lucifer sighs. Of course that's it. It landed right on it. The cat stares at her. You were looking right at it. She starts to stand up. If I wanted to argue about something with someone who had a double digit IQ I'd have went to find Yuri. She puts the necklace in her pocket and grabs her pack. Let's go. Lucifer turns into a raven and flies off towards her car. AM Omniance: After a brief delay where she had to make up and excuse to her father about why she left school early, she'd gotten on the road. After missing the turn once she's turned around and is now driving up the short street. AM Arbi: The neighborhood looks surprisingly better than the rest of the housing track in this part of town. The others being full of rundown, below average trailer houses while this one has nice looking homes that look like they belong to stable families. Leena's forced to turn her truck around as the street ends and on her way back she sees a gated off yard that holds the biggest garden on the street. A woman can be seen near the flowers, tending to them. The woman takes off her garden hat after a moment, it's the same lady from before. AM Omniance: Leena: She puts her large truck into park. Told you this was it. She smiles, happy that she was able to scry for the woman's location successfully. After a moment she grabs her stuff and jumps out of the car. Lucifer turns into a mouse and scampers into her purse as the last second. As Leena slams the door and circles around she waves at the woman. Hey! AM | Edited 9:50:10 AM Arbi: Hailey: She hears Leena and stands up, taking off her gloves. She's wearing a short dark blue dress covered in what looks like flower designs. She meets Leena at the entrance of the garden which is closed off with a small wooden door. My, it didn't take you long to find me. I'm pleasently surprised. She smiles softly. AM Omniance: Leena: Yeah, did a scrying... Thing, actually worked this time. She looks around. ...Hope this isn't a bad time... Or something? AM Arbi: Hailey: She shakes her head and opens the small wooden gate door. I just finished tending to my garden actually. You came at just the right time. She walks up the path towards the frontdoor. Let's talk inside, I'm sure you have many questions to ask. AM Omniance: Leena: She looks around at the garden as she follows Hailey to the door. You have no idea... I've been waiting to find another witch... Since forever. AM Arbi: Hailey: She leads her to the dining room. She motions for Leena to sit down before heading into the kitchen and coming back with two cups of hot cocoa, she sets them down before sitting down. On the table there's already a plate of freshly baked cookies. Hailey raises her cup and takes a drink, the warm coaco relaxing her after garden work in the winter climate. She smiles at Leena after. It's been so many years, I'd like to introduce myself again. I'm Helena Clemence. She holds her hand out to shake Leena's. But Hailey works just as well. AM Omniance: Leena: She reaches across the table and grabs her hand. Leena... Please don't call me Evelyn. She looks to the side. AM | Edited 10:20:07 AM Arbi: Hailey: I understand completely. I never enjoyed being called Helena, Hailey feels so much more...right. She smiles and looks down at Leena's purse, something catching her eye. Oh? The cookies smell so delicious that Lucifer can't help but to sniff the air. Go on little one, the cookies are for all guests. Even familiars. AM Omniance: Leena: She watches Lucifer jump from her purse and bounce across the table and grab one. The little black mouse grabs one from the plate and drags it across with her mouth. Leena takes a drink of her hot cocoa. So do you have familiar too then? AM Arbi: Hailey: I can't say I ever have. May I ask the name of this one? AM Omniance: Leena: Her name's Lucifer. She looks at the small mouse as it chews directly through the center of the cookie with quick quiet bites. She was a snake at first, but when I was about thirteen she learned how to transform into any animal I've touched... Well most of them. She has trouble transforming into insects... She narrows her eyes and looks to the side, like she's remembering something terrible that happened. And fish. AM Arbi: Hailey: The gills can be quite tricky I imagine. She takes another sip of her cocoa. I have to say, Leena I was quite surprised when your friends told me about you and your family. Growing up with such a great secret, how did you do it? AM Omniance: Leena: Well umm... I don't know. Lots of hiding things. Excuses. I don't really like to lie but... I have to bend the truth a lot with my parents I guess. AM | Edited 10:41:53 AM Arbi: Hailey: Are your friends well? They mentioned a girl cursed by a demon. As I recall Yuri was going to call me so the two of us could meet, but I never heard from him again. I hope everything's alright. AM Omniance: Leena: She lets out a long distressed sigh. I don't think anyone is well right now... I feel like the devil himself has just... Infected all of my friends. AM Arbi: Hailey: She closes her eyes, nodding. Demons are not to be trifled with. I wish I could say I'm going to make everything alright but there's only so much I can do. AM Omniance: Leena: To make things worse everyone... Well almost everyone... Involved is stubborn as hell. They seem to hate each other, and I'm trying to fix it, but they keep screwing it up... Or making things worse. She thinks of Isaac. AM | Edited 10:53:57 AM Arbi: Hailey: First things first. We need to remove that girl's curse before the horrible things come to pass. She moves her cocoa out of the way before pointing her finger down at the table. A large spell book appears infront of her. AM Omniance: Leena: She watches the spell book appear. How long did it take for you to learn stuff like that? AM | Edited 11:01:19 AM Arbi: Hailey: A day at most? Quite a simple spell. She opens the book towards somewhere in the middle, she seems to find her place even without a bookmark. I've made a few adjustments to the ritual. She turns the page, the next one seems to have a small trapdoor. She opens it up and reaches inside, taking out three small stone with magic runes carved into them. No more killing, no more blood. Sped up to three days. She stands up. I'll still need your help. AM Omniance: Leena: Being able to complete it more quickly is definitely better... And not killing animals is great too... I don't want to start sacrificing things if I don't have to. She stands. AM Arbi: Hailey: She stops in the living room and holds her hand out, the stone with the blue rune carved into it seems to float out of her hands like there was no gravity. It just floats infront of her though, not going anywhere. I've already enchanted the first stone. You'll need to do the second enchant. AM Omniance: Leena: Alright umm... You'll have to teach me how I guess... AM Arbi: Hailey: She thinks for a moment. You don't know any enchants at all, dear? AM Omniance: Leena: Fire enchant. Shadow fire... Specifically. AM Arbi: Hailey: She nods. Fire is on the third day. I started with water, I never like having the two too close together. She points at her book at the dining table and it flies over to her, stopping in mid-air infront of her. The pages quickly flip towards the beginning of the book. She smiles at Leena. Well then. Let's get started. AM Omniance: Meanwhile... AM Omniance: Red Yuri: As he runs towards Yuri he drops to all fours, his clawed hands dig into the bloody flesh of the ground. HUNGRY! The creature that looks like a demonic version of Yuri, quickly closes the distance between them. AM Arbi: Yuri: He raises his fists up but quickly realizes that the demonic version of him is moving too wildy to hit head on. He backs out the last second and moves out of the way, circling around him keeping his eyes on him. Fuck you're fast... AM Omniance: Red Yuri: The creature sprints passed Yuri, digging its claws into the flesh and skidding to a stop, it turns and leaps for him. AM Arbi: Yuri: He sidesteps but isn't fast enough, the claws cutting his shirt and slashing his skin. He winces for a second but follows up by turning back and grabbing Red Yuri's arm, pulling him back with his demonic strength and punching him straight in the face. AM Omniance: Red Yuri: He looks stunned for a split-second before immediately recovering and slamming his claws into Yuri's stomach. Hungry... The creature opens its large mouth and moves to bit down onto Yuri's shoulder. AM Arbi: Yuri: He reaches up, grabbing Red Yuri's neck and holding him back from biting him but with him putting both his strength and weight into Yuri he's having trouble holding him back and the distance slowly starts to close. His eyes widen and he whistles, summoning Rodin and Luka to help him. AM Omniance: Rodin appears and bites down onto the creature's leg, pulling it out from under him and trying to drag him away. AM Omniance: Red Yuri: He starts struggling against the hound as Yuri holds him back more easily. HUNGRY! His skin ignites and turns into flames, burning Yuri and the Dog's mouth. AM Arbi: Yuri: Shit! He kicks him away and backs off, waving his burnt hand around. Luka: He growls and glares at the demon, waiting for an opening. AM Omniance: Red Yuri: As Rodin lets go his skin stops burning. It looks charred and black. He turns with incredible speed and slams his claws down into Rodin's flesh and then with a loud pop he rips the ribs out of the hound's sides and shoves some of them into his mouth, as the dog shrieks he begins to ravenously devour its flesh. AM Arbi: Luka: He immediately charges Red Yuri and tackles into him, biting at his neck and trying to drag him away from Rodin. AM Omniance: Red Yuri: He lets out a ghastly yell, sounding more annoyed that he's being pulled away from his food than he's in pain. He immediately starts slashing at Luka's hide with his claws, tearing out long wounds in the hound's sides. AM Arbi: Yuri: His voice turns demonic. AAAHHH!! He transforms into his demonic form and leaps at Red Yuri, tackling him away from his dogs, pinning him down and punching him in the face with all his strength. AM Omniance: Red Yuri: He squeals, trying to claw at Yuri as the sounds of his bones being crushed under Yuri's fist can be heard. AM Arbi: Yuri: He doesn't stop punching his face, wanting to cave his skull in from how pissed off he is. AAHH!! The last punch he does breaks Red Yuri's skull and jaw. He stops, his fist completely covered in blood now. AM Omniance: Red Yuri: The creature flails slightly, dying. AM Arbi: Yuri: He gets off of him, standing up before running to his dogs to check on them. AM Omniance: Rodin: His sides are completely torn out and he's whimpering slightly. Most of his skin has been shredded apart as he lay there. The dog slowly vanishes, going back to the realm of the dead. PM Arbi: Yuri: Rodin... He watches him vanish in his hands and after a moment he hears Luka's whimpering, who's laying on his side with large cuts all over him. He goes over to him, kneeling down to check his cuts. Luka... PM Omniance: Belxephon: He's standing over him suddenly, looking like the twins, but with crimson eyes and horns. He's just glaring down at Yuri in silence. PM Arbi: Yuri: He feels him standing behind him. He stands up but doesn't turn towards him. He takes a deep breath, sighing slowly. PM Omniance: Belxephon: Power for power. The room pulses and slowly dulls until it seems to twitch in pain. After a moment the entire thing shutters and then falls silent and motionless, as if it just died. Nothing sacrificed, nothing gained. PM Arbi: Yuri: He turns around to look at him. Sacrificed?... PM Omniance: Belxephon: He holds up his hands, the creature that Yuri just destroyed hangs lifelessly between them. Power for power. The creature is immediately crushed inwards until it's a small cube, a bloody six-sided dice. PM | Edited 12:16:05 PM Arbi: Yuri: I don't understand... He looks down at the bloody dice. Just tell me what you want. PM Omniance: Belxephon: The dice hovers closer to him and his voice rumbles out, shaking the room. You know what I want! An image of him flickers behind him, a massive demon cut in half that struggles against chains, but the image vanishes. However we are asking you what you want. He holds out the dice. Power. For power. I offer you nothing, but you will gain at a loss of something else. Your choice. PM | Edited 12:22:07 PM Arbi: Yuri: He looks down at the dice and slowly holds his hand out. Just before he grabs them he looks up at Belxephon then closes his fist around the dice. PM Omniance: Belxephon: The room around them turns pitch black, and a dull grey mist covers the floor. Small darting sprites appear in the air, illuminating them. Power for power. Around them appear the vague figments of three creatures. A huge pale-red spider, hanging from the ceiling, appearing nearly invisible as wisps of crimson light dance across its frame. A tall thin humanoid being, looking like a woman built from sticks and branches, and with willow tree leaves for hair, her eyes glow a bright white as two circles in the darkness, and an old man, appearing like a king sitting upon a black throne, beside him paces a large three-headed version of Yuri's Cerberon Hounds. Sacrifice one or all, to gain power which isn't yours, or gain more power that is. PM Arbi: Yuri: He looks between them all. After a long moment he slowly points at Belxephon. I can't risk becoming possessed again...I want to sacrifice demonic strength. He looks back at Luka who is whimpering in pain before he gets sent back to the realm of the dead. And Summoning... PM Omniance: Belxephon: The tall creature made of sticks with the glow eyes turns and walks away into the darkness. Belxephon himself just tilts his head. Roll. The bloody die in Yuri's hand starts to tremble. PM Arbi: Yuri: He holds his hand out and opens his fist, letting the dice fall onto the floor. PM Omniance: The tall stick-like creature walks back out of the darkness, and across from her a new being appears, looking like a wraith made of shadowy robes and cloth and nothing else. PM Omniance: Belxephon: Power for power. The die appears in Belxephon's hand, and the darkness around them dulls until they're back in the bloody room. ...But... When is a door... Not a door. He slowly looks to the side, another boss door. What stings like evil, bites like malice, lasts forever, and must be banished? Scratching, followed by a muffled voice can be heard from beyond the closed door. ...Hungry... Belxephon: He slowly turns to look back to Yuri. PM Arbi: Yuri: He narrows his eyes, remembering Mandy's curse and the demon wanting to kill her. I don't know his name... PM Omniance: Belxephon: Guaricana. The world around Yuri vanishes, and he's laying out in the middle of the desert, rain pouring on him. The jeep is a few yards away, no longer sunk into the mud.